In this morning’s NZ Herald Robert Sirico complains about the restriction on proselytising by churches while doing welfare work contracted out by the US Government. The restriction stems from the constitutional separation of church and state in the USA. He would not have the same problem in New Zealand. The Charities Act 2005 grants charitable status not only for the relief of poverty, which most people think of as charity, but - conveniently for the churches – also for the advancement of religion.
The inclusion of advancement of religion as a charitable activity will probably surprise many Kiwis, especially the one million who indicated in the 2006 census that they have no religion. In effect they are subsidising beliefs which they do not support or may even be hostile toward: because the churches pay no tax, the rest must pay more.
This state subsidy for religion has enabled it to amass a huge fortune over the years and yet it is not available to the non-religious. It is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act 1990 which forbids the Government from discriminating on the basis of religion or lack of religion. How can the law of NZ contradict itself like this? Beats me. Ask your MP.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Why I'm a Bright
Names like atheist, agnostic or unbeliever are negatives. Their point of reference is not what I believe in, but what someone else believes in. If asked if I am an atheist, I will happily acknowledge that I am one. However, in reply to a more open question, I would in earlier times identify myself as a Humanist. Nowadays, like Richard Dawkins and Dan Dennett, I am an enthusiastic Bright.
I am a believer by the way. I believe that we live on a planet which orbits one of billions of stars in our galaxy. I believe that our galaxy is one of billions of galaxies in the universe. I believe that the earth is billions of years old. I believe that humans have evolved from “lower” forms of life. I believe that most groups of humans have come up with similar values – don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t lie - because they have had to deal with similar problems. I believe in the Golden Rule. In fact when I begin to think of the number of things I believe in, I am sure they must at least match the beliefs of those who are retarded by superstition.
My beliefs are based on a naturalistic worldview and that by definition makes me a bright. The new name is important to me because it is not a label stuck on me by some in-group (theists) to identify outsiders (atheists). It is a name chosen by an in-group to which I am happy to belong. In the words of Richard Dawkins: “I am a bright. You are (quite probably) a bright. Most of the people I know are brights. The majority of scientists are brights.” The name “bright” is positive and it is influenced by the idea of light and the Enlightenment. It is not intended to be arrogant but slightly provocative to attract attention.
The Brights movement is political. Its focus is not on debating theists but on demanding equal status for the naturalistic worldview. For instance the NZ Charities Act 2005 gives charitable status to an organisation that “advances religion”, even though this breaches the Bill of Rights and the Human Rights Act. If you want to do something about this and other privileges enjoyed by the supernatural worldview in NZ, maybe you should check out www.the-brights.net.
I am a believer by the way. I believe that we live on a planet which orbits one of billions of stars in our galaxy. I believe that our galaxy is one of billions of galaxies in the universe. I believe that the earth is billions of years old. I believe that humans have evolved from “lower” forms of life. I believe that most groups of humans have come up with similar values – don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t lie - because they have had to deal with similar problems. I believe in the Golden Rule. In fact when I begin to think of the number of things I believe in, I am sure they must at least match the beliefs of those who are retarded by superstition.
My beliefs are based on a naturalistic worldview and that by definition makes me a bright. The new name is important to me because it is not a label stuck on me by some in-group (theists) to identify outsiders (atheists). It is a name chosen by an in-group to which I am happy to belong. In the words of Richard Dawkins: “I am a bright. You are (quite probably) a bright. Most of the people I know are brights. The majority of scientists are brights.” The name “bright” is positive and it is influenced by the idea of light and the Enlightenment. It is not intended to be arrogant but slightly provocative to attract attention.
The Brights movement is political. Its focus is not on debating theists but on demanding equal status for the naturalistic worldview. For instance the NZ Charities Act 2005 gives charitable status to an organisation that “advances religion”, even though this breaches the Bill of Rights and the Human Rights Act. If you want to do something about this and other privileges enjoyed by the supernatural worldview in NZ, maybe you should check out www.the-brights.net.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
New Zealand values
We are constantly being reminded that New Zealand society is founded on Christian values. No one bothers to explain what this actually means. What are these Christian values that are so important to us and that presumably make our society different from others? Surely they are not the Ten Commandments: don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t tell lies, etc? These are the kindergarten morals that every society on the planet must share to stand any chance of surviving as a group. I must confess I struggle to imagine what the uniquely Christian values could be.
So what values are important to us in New Zealand? Watching the evening news I often feel lucky to live in a liberal democracy when I see what goes on in most of the world, for example in China or Zimbabwe. True we are not the only liberal democracy in the world but unfortunately there are all too few. Liberal democracies are by definition democratic but they also place a high value on human rights. In other words they are not tyrannies of the majority, but recognise the rights of minorities and more importantly of individuals.
So where do these values come from? Certainly not from Christianity. You would be hard-pushed to find a major Christian church which is democratic. Cults, sects and churches tend to be founded by self-appointed, charismatic leaders and their authority is usually retained by an elite, usually male. The Catholic Church, the biggest of them all, still does not allow women to join their priesthood. Throughout history the same church was no friend to free speech and is responsible for the deaths of countless dissenters. You may hear Christians claim credit for the abolition of slavery, but why did it take so long? They had the power to do something about it for most of the last two millennia.
In fact slavery was abolished during the blossoming of human rights in the 18th century Enlightenment. The Age of Enlightenment spawned the writings of Voltaire, Thomas Paine, David Hume, Adam Smith, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Locke and others. Their writings in turn led to revolutions across Europe and America. It was an age which raised reason above superstition. None of the great thinkers claimed divine inspiration for their writings. The various declarations of human rights were the product of human reason alone.
It is appropriate then that the Enlightenment should inspire the name of the Brights movement which started in America in the wake of September 11. A Bright is a person who has a naturalistic worldview, free of supernatural and mystical elements. The Brights promote the civic understanding and acknowledgment of the naturalistic worldview. They try to gain public recognition that persons who hold such a worldview can bring principled actions to bear on matters of civic importance. One could argue that the “Brights” of the Enlightenment have made the most significant contribution to these matters and from them come the values that underpin our society today.
So what values are important to us in New Zealand? Watching the evening news I often feel lucky to live in a liberal democracy when I see what goes on in most of the world, for example in China or Zimbabwe. True we are not the only liberal democracy in the world but unfortunately there are all too few. Liberal democracies are by definition democratic but they also place a high value on human rights. In other words they are not tyrannies of the majority, but recognise the rights of minorities and more importantly of individuals.
So where do these values come from? Certainly not from Christianity. You would be hard-pushed to find a major Christian church which is democratic. Cults, sects and churches tend to be founded by self-appointed, charismatic leaders and their authority is usually retained by an elite, usually male. The Catholic Church, the biggest of them all, still does not allow women to join their priesthood. Throughout history the same church was no friend to free speech and is responsible for the deaths of countless dissenters. You may hear Christians claim credit for the abolition of slavery, but why did it take so long? They had the power to do something about it for most of the last two millennia.
In fact slavery was abolished during the blossoming of human rights in the 18th century Enlightenment. The Age of Enlightenment spawned the writings of Voltaire, Thomas Paine, David Hume, Adam Smith, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Locke and others. Their writings in turn led to revolutions across Europe and America. It was an age which raised reason above superstition. None of the great thinkers claimed divine inspiration for their writings. The various declarations of human rights were the product of human reason alone.
It is appropriate then that the Enlightenment should inspire the name of the Brights movement which started in America in the wake of September 11. A Bright is a person who has a naturalistic worldview, free of supernatural and mystical elements. The Brights promote the civic understanding and acknowledgment of the naturalistic worldview. They try to gain public recognition that persons who hold such a worldview can bring principled actions to bear on matters of civic importance. One could argue that the “Brights” of the Enlightenment have made the most significant contribution to these matters and from them come the values that underpin our society today.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Another author
Congratulations to Ian on launching a blog for NZ Brights. I am happy to accept his invitation to join him as an author.
After 30 years in the computer industry and a couple of years on an orchard I am now retired and hope to spend a bit more time on the Brights movement. I have been involved in organised humanism/rationalism/freethought in New Zealand for over twenty years now and look forward to spreading the word - "Bright" - in NZ.
Cheers,
Des
After 30 years in the computer industry and a couple of years on an orchard I am now retired and hope to spend a bit more time on the Brights movement. I have been involved in organised humanism/rationalism/freethought in New Zealand for over twenty years now and look forward to spreading the word - "Bright" - in NZ.
Cheers,
Des
Sunday, March 23, 2008
NZ Brights Blog kicks off
Welcome to the New Zealand Brights blog!
This idea is one Des Vize and myself had over a discussion after visiting the Darwin exhibition at the Auckland Museum late last year. The idea was to develop a NZ brights website (which is on its way!) and to develop a blog where NZ brights could post on whatever topics interest them.
I figure the best way to start is by introductions. My name is Ian Luxmoore and currently I live in Palmerston North lecturing at Massey University and studying towards a PhD in macroeconomic energy modeling. My interest in rationalism and naturalistic world views stems from Richard Dawkin's Unweaving the Rainbow and grew to include his other books, plus those of Carl Sagan, James Randi, Daniel Dennett and others. The more I looked into it, the more I realised the problem is not insignificant.
I have spent much more time thinking about religion than pseudoscience although with the airing of the recent Sensing Murder programme on NZ TV I have started taking a more active interest in most areas of skeptical thought.
Anyway I look forward to making further posts and will see you next time
Cheers
Ian
This idea is one Des Vize and myself had over a discussion after visiting the Darwin exhibition at the Auckland Museum late last year. The idea was to develop a NZ brights website (which is on its way!) and to develop a blog where NZ brights could post on whatever topics interest them.
I figure the best way to start is by introductions. My name is Ian Luxmoore and currently I live in Palmerston North lecturing at Massey University and studying towards a PhD in macroeconomic energy modeling. My interest in rationalism and naturalistic world views stems from Richard Dawkin's Unweaving the Rainbow and grew to include his other books, plus those of Carl Sagan, James Randi, Daniel Dennett and others. The more I looked into it, the more I realised the problem is not insignificant.
I have spent much more time thinking about religion than pseudoscience although with the airing of the recent Sensing Murder programme on NZ TV I have started taking a more active interest in most areas of skeptical thought.
Anyway I look forward to making further posts and will see you next time
Cheers
Ian
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